image from thegardeningcook.com 

What a 10 out of 10 day.  Blue, clear sky, little breeze and the temperature is at 81 degrees with low humidity.  I am working outside replanting some succulents.  Favorite thing to do, PLANT…ENJOY…
I have had this question asked about their tomatoes.  Have to see what is happening in your garden for them not to produce.  Hopefully all of you are having good production of tomatoes.  IT IS time. 
Why Isn't My Tomato Plant Producing Fruit?
Lots of Flowers, But Not Enough Fruit on Tomato Plants  by The Editors
Are you seeing lots of flowers on your tomatoes but not enough red fruit? From poor pollination to extreme heat, there are many reasons why a lack of fruit happens. Thankfully, most are addressable! Read our article (with video demo) to find out how to get more tomatoes and reap the fruit of your labors.
Lack of Pollination
While other fruiting vegetables like squash produce separate male and female flowers, tomatoes have flowers with both male and female parts. This means they’re self-fertile and can pollinate themselves. But while that’s technically the case, you’ll get much better fruit set if pollinating insects – and especially bumblebees – enter the mix.
Bumblebees “buzz pollinate”: Their wings flap up and down at a frequency that creates their famous low, audible buzz–and it’s this buzz that produces a vibration, so that when they visit a flower the pollen is shaken free from the male part to drift down onto the waiting female stigma. We want more bumblebees, so make sure they can get at the flowers!
*If you’re growing under cover, open up greenhouse or tunnel vents, windows and doors. And encourage more pollinators into the area by planting nectar-rich flowers among your tomatoes!)
You can also improve fruit set by hand pollinating. Now you could go from flower to flower with a small artist’s paint brush like this – and that would work, but a far more practical solution to dislodge the pollen to fertilize the female parts of the flower is to simply twang or tap on plant supports. By vibrating the flowers, you are mimicking the actions of a bumblebee to greatly enhanced pollination success!
Extreme Heat
Many gardeners struggle with extreme summer heat–and so can our tomatoes. When it gets too hot pollen becomes sterile, especially if nighttime temperatures fail to drop below about 77 Fahrenheit or 25 Celsius.
All you can really do is hold out for temperatures to fall away again. If your plants are under cover help them keep their cool by leaving windows, doors and vents wide open and perhaps adding blinds, cloth or greenhouse shading paint to filter out some of the sunshine.
Be sure to grow varieties suited to your climate too. If it’s particularly hot where you garden, seek out a warm-climate tomato variety that can better withstand your sultry summer.
High/Low Humidity
If getting just the right temperature wasn’t enough to contend with, sometimes it can be a bit too humid… or dry for our tomatoes! Those close, uncomfortable conditions that come with high humidity can make pollen sticky, so that it clumps together and fails to drop onto the female stigma. Very dry conditions have the opposite effect–the flowers just aren’t moist enough for the pollen to properly stick, so it simply rolls off.
There isn’t much you can do about high levels of humidity other than ensure adequate ventilation and plenty of space between plants to help along airflow.
Pruning off some of the lower leaves can help air to circulate better too.
If bone dry air is your issue, however, be sure to keep plants properly watered and the humidity around your plants should remain more stable as excess moisture evaporates. Ensuring enough water will also give plants the resources required to fully swell their fruits, while reducing the risk of them simply dropping off.
If you’re growing under cover, splashing water onto paving– known as ‘damping down’–will also help increase humidity.
Not Enough Light
If your tomato plants have lots of lush foliage but few flowers then consider light levels. Tomatoes love a sunny spot and will only do their thing if they receive a minimum of six hours direct sunshine a day. Dull weather presents a temporary challenge, but if you’ve planted them in a less-than-sunny position you may be best moving your plants to somewhere sunnier, because more sunlight means more energy to grow those fruits.
Incorrect Nutrition
Finally, check what you’re feeding your tomatoes. Once the first flowers appear you need to be applying some sort of organic fertilizer that has a good level of both potassium and trace elements like magnesium. This will help to encourage exactly what we’re after: more flowers and better fruit set.
Use a product such as a liquid tomato feed or seaweed concentrate. This will help to promote healthier plants, reduce the risk of blossom end rot, and will up the final nutritional value of the fruits themselves. Most feeds are applied about once every two weeks by measuring out and diluting the concentrate according to the packet instructions, then watering it on at the base of the plants.
And don’t forget to aim for exemplary soil health anyhow, by incorporating plenty of well-rotted organic matter into your soil at least once a year. This will build up a thriving community of soil life, which in turn will help to support all your plants, including those lovely tomatoes!
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/video/why-isnt-my-tomato-plant-producing-fruit
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365

images from Marianne Folkerts 

            Wednesday all ready isn’t it?  Days, hours, weeks just go by so quickly.  ALWAYS something to do, and that is what makes the time goes so quickly.  I did one of my favorite things to do with a garden today.  I cut some zinnias to bring into the house for a bouquet.  How about you do you bring in flowers for a bouquet on your table? 

Here is another easy flower to grow with lots of benefits especially the bees like them.  I know I am posting plants that I should be letting you know in the spring to plant.  Like sunflowers, and like winter hardy mums and asters.  I will try to do that next spring.  Help me to remember!!!!  Enjoy the last days of summer as fall is around the corner.  School has started.  Everyone enjoy school, work hard and thanks to all the teachers, staff and administrators that work with the kids.  Important job you do.  Stay safe.
​
How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Sunflowers  by Catherine Boeckmann
With bright blooms that go all summer, sunflowers are heat-tolerant, resistant to pests, and attractive to pollinators and birds. They make beautiful cut flowers, and their seeds (and oil) are a source of food for birds and people! See our Sunflower Guide for information on everything from planting to growing to harvesting.
About Sunflowers
The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is an annual plant with a large daisy-like flower face. Its scientific name comes from the Greek words helios (“sun”) and anthos (“flower”). The flowers come in many colors (yellow, red, orange, maroon, brown), but they are commonly bright yellow with brown centers that ripen into heavy heads filled with seeds.
Sunflowers are heliotropic, which means that they turn their flowers to follow the movement of the Sun across the sky east to west, and then returns at night to face the east, ready again for the morning sun. Heliotropism happens during the earlier stages before the flower grows heavy with seeds.
There are tons of varieties of sunflowers available today, so there’s bound to be one that fits your garden. Choose between those with branching stems or single stems, those that produce ample pollen for pollinators or are pollen-free (best for bouquets), those that stay small or tower above the rest of the garden, or those that produce edible seeds!  Learn more about why you should start growing these happy flowers in your garden.
–Robert Kelley Weeks (1840–76)
How Long Do Sunflowers Take to Bloom?
A fairly fast-growing flower for their size, most sunflower varieties mature in only 80 to 95 days. The largest sunflower varieties grow to over 16 feet in height, while smaller varieties have been developed for small spaces and containers and rarely grow larger than a foot tall! The flower heads can reach over 1 inch in diameter within the large seeded varieties.
PLANTING
First and foremost, find a sunny spot! Sunflowers grow best in locations with direct sunlight (6 to 8 hours per day); they require long, warm summers to flower well.
Choose a location with well-draining soil. The planting spot shouldn’t pool with water after it rains. Otherwise, sunflowers aren’t too picky about soil, but for the best results, it shouldn’t be too compacted. They have long tap roots that need to stretch out; in preparing a bed, dig down 2 feet in depth and about 3 feet across.They’re not too fussy when it comes to soil pH either. Sunflowers thrive in slightly acidic to somewhat alkaline soil (pH 6.0 to 7.5).
Sunflowers are heavy feeders, however, so the soil needs to be nutrient-rich with organic matter or composted (aged) manure. Or, work in a slow release granular fertilizer 8 inches deep into your soil.
If possible, plant sunflowers in a spot that is sheltered from strong winds, perhaps along a fence or near a building. Larger varieties may become top-heavy and a strong wind can be devastating.
Before choosing a planting site, decide whether or not you want to grow a sunflower tower—a fun project for kids!
When to Plant Sunflowers
It’s best to sow sunflower seeds directly into the garden (or outdoor containers) after the danger of spring frost has passed anytime after soils have warmed to at least 50°F (10°C).
In the northern half of the U.S. and in Canada, this will fall between April and mid-June. In the South, this will probably occur in mid-March or early April.
Sunflowers dislike having their roots disturbed, which is why we recommend direct-sowing instead of transplanting.
Planting Sunflower Seeds
Sunflowers should be planted 1 to 1½ inches deep and about 6 inches apart after the soil has thoroughly warmed. If you wish, you can plant multiple seeds and thin them to the strongest contenders when the plants are six inches tall.
Give plants plenty of room, especially for low-growing varieties that will branch out. Make rows about 30 inches apart. (For very small varieties, plant closer together.)
A light application of fertilizer mixed in at planting time will encourage strong root growth to protect them from blowing over in the wind.
Experiment with plantings staggered over 5 to 6 weeks to keep enjoying continuous blooms.
If you see birds scratching around for the seeds, spread netting over the planted area until seeds germinate. See more ways to keep birds away from your garden.
GROWING
While the plant is small, water around the roots, about 3 to 4 inches from the plant. To protect the plant, it may help to put snail or slug bait around the stem.
Once the plant is established, water deeply though infrequently to encourage deep rooting. Unless the weather is exceptionally wet or dry, water once a week with several gallons of water.
Feed plants only sparingly; overfertilization can cause stems to break in the fall. You can add diluted fertilizer into the water, though avoid getting the fertilizer near the plant’s base; it may help to build a moat in a circle around the plant about 18 inches out.
Tall species and cultivars require support. Bamboo stakes are a good choice for any plant that has a strong, single stem and needs support for a short period of time.
RECOMMENDED VARIETIES
Everyone is familiar with those huge sunflowers that grow on towering eight-foot-tall stalks. But did you know that some varieties top off at a modest 15 inches? Sunflowers are a diverse bunch!
The towering ‘Mammoth’ variety is the traditional giant sunflower, sometimes growing to more than 12 feet tall. Its seeds are excellent for snacks and for feeding the birds, too.
‘Autumn Beauty’: One of the most spectacular cultivars, the ‘Autumn Beauty’ has many 6-inch flowers in shades of yellow, bronze, and mahogany on branching stems up to 7 feet tall.
‘Sunrich Gold’: A great flower for bouquets and arrangements, this sunflower grows to be about 5 feet tall and produces a single 4- to 6-inch flower. The big, no-mess, pollenless flowers have rich, golden-yellow rays and green-yellow centers.
‘Teddy Bear’: Just 2 to 3 feet tall, this small sunflower is perfect for small gardens and containers. The fluffy, deep-gold, 5-inch blossoms last for days in a vase.
HARVESTING
Cutting Sunflowers for Bouquets
For indoor bouquets, cut the main stem just before its flower bud has a chance to open to encourage side blooms.
Cut stems early in the morning. Harvesting flowers during middle of the day may lead to flower wilting.
Handle sunflowers gently. The flowers should last at least a week in water at room temperature.
Arrange sunflowers in tall containers that provide good support for their heavy heads, and change the water every day to keep them fresh.
Harvesting Sunflower Seeds
At the end of the season, harvest sunflower seeds for a tasty snack and or to replant or to feed the birds in the winter! Read all about harvesting sunflowers here.
Let the flower dry on or off the stem until the back of the head turns brown, the foliage turns yellow, the petals die down, and the seeds look plump and somewhat loose.
With sharp scissors or pruners, cut the head off the plant (about 6 inches below the flower head). Place in a container to catch loose seeds.
Lie the sunflower head on a flat, clean surface and grab a bowl to hold the seeds.
To remove the seeds, simply rub your hand over the seeded area and pull them off the plant or you can use a fork. Another way to remove them is to rub the head of the sunflower across an old washboard or something similar. Just grip the head and rub it across the board as if you were washing clothes.
If you are going to harvest the seeds for roasting, you can cover the flowers with a light fabric (such as cheesecloth) and a rubber band to protect the heads from the birds.
Alternatively, you can cut the flower head early and hang the heads upside down until the seeds are dry; hang indoors or in a place that’s safe from birds and mice.
Rinse sunflower seeds before laying out to dry for several hours or overnight.
If you’re saving seeds to replant, store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until you are ready to plant.
WIT AND WISDOM
Some people call sunflowers the “fourth sister,” in reference to the Three Sisters: corn, beans, and squash.
Some cultures see sunflowers as a symbol of courage.
Sunflowers were not only used for cooking by Native Americans, but also for healing (the oil was used to cure skin ailments) and making clothing (yellow dye was made from the flower petals and black or blue dye from the seeds).
Need a bird feeder? Save whole, dry sunflower heads and set them out in winter. Birds will gladly pick at the delicious seeds!
Save thick sunflower stems and dry them for winter kindling.
An anonymous buyer paid over $39 million in 1987 for Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers.
The tallest sunflower ever recorded was grown in Germany in 2014. It measured in at a stunning 30 feet and 1 inch tall!
Kansas is “The Sunflower State.”
PESTS/DISEASES
Birds and squirrels will show interest in the seeds. If you plan to use the seeds, deter critters with barrier devices. As seed heads mature and flowers droop, you can cover each one with white polyspun garden fleece.
If you have deer, keep them at bay with a tall wire barrier. Curious deer may bite the heads off of young sunflowers.
Sunflowers are relatively insect-free. A small gray moth sometimes lays its eggs in the blossoms. Pick the worms from the plants.
Downy mildew, rust, and powdery mildew can also affect the plants. If fungal diseases are spotted early, spray with a general garden fungicide.
COOKING NOTES
Just one ounce of sunflower seeds contains about 6 grams of protein and 14 grams of oils. The fats are almost entirely unsaturated with 9g of polyunsaturated and 3g of monounsaturated fats per ounce (NSA). The oil is high in linoleic acid and is a good source of vitamin E.
Some varieties produce small black seeds that are used in cooking oil, margarine, cosmetics, and animal feed; they are the best sunflower seeds for attracting the greatest variety of songbirds.
The bigger, striped seeds are grown for snacking and as an ingredient in bread and health foods. They, too, are used for feeding birds, especially larger species, such as jays and mourning doves.
How to Roast Sunflower Seeds
Re-soak seeds overnight in salted water. Run through a strainer and dry on a layer of paper towels.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 325 degrees on a baking sheet. Seeds should be spread out in a single layer.  Stir frequently during the baking and remove seeds when they look slightly browned. Don’t burn!
That’s it!  You can all some olive oil, salt, spices to your roasted seeds if you wish.
Or, you can also make suet cakes for the winter birds! See how to make suet.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/sunflowers
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365

image from San Antoniaexpress 

      Monday Aug 22nd.  This is the week most Iowa Schools will start.  Teachers are back, kids start this week.  Iowa State Fair is over with, now school.  I just can’t believe it.  Summer is over with, and I thought I just started planting for the spring.  Now I need to get ready for fall, and then the wintertime.   I don’t have any time to plant a garden in the spring, so I am going to try these vegetables for the fall time.  Looking at the calendar it is time to plant, so add that to my list for this week.   See how they grow.  All I can say, I love planting…even in the fall.  Hope all of you are safe.  Good luck with going back to school.  Do any of you plant in the fall vegetables? 
​
Quick-growing vegetables that are good for container gardening

It’s not too late to plant a few pots! Late summer provides plenty of time to grow in containers, which are perfect for small gardens. Find out which vegetables are best for container gardening during the summer and fall!
There’s all sorts of tasty produce many gardeners can still sow now—even this late in the season. Some vegetables are far more flavorful and successful in fall than spring, such as spinach which loves cold weather.
You can’t go wrong with leafy salads which will grow into fall. The will be far less likely to bolt in late summer and fall months. Also, you can plant beets and many roots now for for a late fall and early winter harvest. With beets, the greens are very tasty, too, similar to spinach!
There are some vegetables with are cold-hardy and don’t mind frost, such as kale.
Best Vegetables for Container Gardening
Here are a full list of quick-growing vegetables. Just go to the garden store, look at some seed packets, and back out the number of weeks from your first fall frost date, plus a few weeks for harvesting! Many of these vegetables need 6 to 8 weeks before the first fall frost. Look for faster-producing varieties as well as dwarf varieties which are perfect for containers.
Spinach
Collards
Bush Beans—Dwarf borlotti beans are a fave!
Radishes
Daikon (type of radish)
Beets/beetroot
Turnips
Carrots
Spring onions—plant from onions sets
Pea shoots
Lettuce
Endive
Arugula/rocket
Mustards
Cilantro/coriander
Swiss chard
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/best-vegetables-containers-late-summer-and-fall
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa  beckmall@netins.net  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365

images from Marianne Folkerts 

     ​Good morning, and it is a grand almost perfect.  Temperature at 9:30 AM is 72 with ahigh today of 82 with low humidity.  Blue, clean sky with little wind…just enjoy is what I will say. 
Images from Marianne Folkerts.  NOW I am going to say to you  name the birds.  Let me know 1-6 what they are. 
Gardening for the Birds  by Robin Sweetser
We should always consider our feathered friends! Making your garden bird-friendly takes more than just hanging a feeder or two. Here are five tips for making your backyard more welcoming to birds.
Why Help Our Birds?
Just being outside in the garden surrounded by birdsong is a wonderful way to spend the day. Listening to the chirping chickadees and loud laughing call of the pileated woodpecker while watching the goldfinches swoop from plant to plant gives me a restful break from the craziness of the world and reinforces an important connection to nature.
Birds offer us some tangible help as well. A single swallow can eat hundreds of bugs in an afternoon. Many bird species are important predators of crop pests, while birds of prey will deal with any rodents. By inviting insect-eating birds to our yards we can help reduce the pests that attack our gardens and us!
However, our feathered pest control squad can’t work if your garden doesn’t provide the habitat they need.
What Birds Need in the Garden
Take a look at your garden from a bird’s point of view. Here are five tips:
Along with natural foods such as seeds, fruits, berries, and nectar, your garden offers an abundance of tasty insects, caterpillars, worms, and spiders. The more diverse your plantings are, the more kinds of birds you will attract.
In addition to a ready supply of food and clean water, birds need places to hide and nest. Pine trees and densely needled conifers block the wind, supply cover in bad weather, and offer protection from predators. They become ideal nesting places in the spring.
Consider bird-friendly trees. Natives like oak, cedar, birch, maple, choke cherry, and serviceberry provide insects, seeds, and fruit along with shelter and nest sites. Berry-producing plants are essential food sources for many birds. Red fruits seem to be a favorite. Plantings of ornamental crabapples and cherries, mulberry, holly, and mountain ash will draw flocks of birds to their flowers and berries. Just make sure you net your raspberries, or they may be taken too!
Native shrubs are especially attractive, offering food suited to the birds in your area and adding another layer of cover under taller trees. Small birds especially love dense shrubs and hedges where they can hide from predators. Thorny brambles, prickly roses, and hawthorn provide a safe haven for them to escape into, while ivy and other dense evergreens make great secluded nesting spots. See our list of best shrubs and trees for birds.
There are many perennial flowers that are ideal for birdscaping. The way a plant presents its seeds is a good indicator of how easy it will be for birds to swoop in for a quick snack. Plants that have open-faced flowers or bloom on an upright stalk have seeds that are readily accessible.
In the late fall and wintertime, consider supplementing with bird food.  Peanuts, sunflower seeds and mixed seed will all be appreciated by small birds in winter, but our go-to choice is fat balls or suet cakes. They’re high in saturated fat, which gives birds the energy they need to survive freezing winter temperatures. Avoid using fat balls that are sold in nylon mesh bags, as birds’ delicate feet and legs can become trapped. You can often buy fat balls loose in tubs or boxes of 50 or more, which works out much cheaper than buying half a dozen at a time.
You may have to delay pruning in the spring if a family of robins decides to nest in your forsythia.
Instead of diligently deadheading every fading flower, allow seed heads to stand for the birds to eat. Let your yard grow a little wild to provide areas of shelter. Wait until late winter to clear away dead flowerheads and stems, or to prune berrying shrubs. This will ensure that birds have a variety of natural food sources to turn to. There’s simply no good reason to cut many perennials down before late winter.
As long as they pose no danger to people or property let dead trees stand. They give cavity-nesting birds a place to call home and provide insects and grubs for other birds to eat.
Birds will reward your efforts by helping to control insects, garden pests, and mosquitoes. By planting a variety of food sources for each season, you will create a year-round haven for our feathered friends and prove that gardening is really for the birds!
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/gardening-birds
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa  beckmall@netins.net 641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365

image from thehabitat.com 

images from Marianne Folkert's garden 

​WOW what an almost perfect summer day.  Cool out at 75 degree with blue sky with fluffy clouds. Very little breeze, and it might be a little heat in the sun but the shade it is awesome.  Being it is a dry summer, the mosquito’s population is low.  I have been working in the back yard with the wagons, and it has been very enjoyable for something I really don’t’ like to do.  “unplanting”  But it is coming down to the last wagon.  Hope all of you are enjoying working in the gardens, harvesting your gardens or just sitting and enjoying your hard work.  Be safe.
I have had a gardening customer always asking for Rose of Sharon, I never really knew what that was, but now I found out it is in the hibiscus family but more of a bush.  It has smaller blooms, while the hibiscus I carry here are the dinner size plate blooms.  Both are lovely in the August garden here in Iowa.  How many of you have these in your garden? 
Planting Rose of Sharon & Other Hibiscus Flowers  by Robin Sweetser
By midfall, most plants have stopped flowering. However, if you’d like an autumn bloomer, look no further than the hardy hibiscus and beautiful Rose of Sharon. Discover varieties of hibiscus flowers and planting tips!
Rose of Sharon
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is one of my favorite late summer shrubs. Hardy hibiscus is so tough the plant will come back year after year as far north as zone 5. In the same family (Malva) as hollyhocks, mallows, and okra, this hibiscus can have single, double, or semi-double blossoms in a wide range of colors including true blue—a rare color in the flower world. If you need a shot of blue to contrast with all the autumn yellows and golds, look for ‘Blue Bird’, ‘Azurri Blue Satin’, or ‘Blue Chiffon’.
Forming a multi-stemmed shrub that can grow to be 8 to 12 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide, they can be planted 10 to 12 feet apart to make a colorful hedge. If you prefer a standard tree-shape, the extra stems can be carefully pruned out to give it that appearance. Since they flower on new wood do any pruning early in the season to give the plant a chance to recover and regrow new branches. They require full sun to produce the most blossoms but will still bloom in light shade. They prefer moist, well-drained soil and love hot summers. Fertilize in the spring with some compost and mulch around the base to keep the soil moist.
To encourage bigger blossoms, you can pinch off the extra buds, leaving only 2 to 3 per branch but I’d go for quantity over size any day.
Luckily this is one plant that is not attractive to deer but the migrating butterflies and hummingbirds love it!
Note: Rose of Sharon is considered an invasive in some parts of the country. To avoid the excessive seedlings that cause this problem, look for a sterile cultivar that doesn’t produce any seeds.
Hibiscus moscheutos  This would be the ones I carry here as perennials. 
If you want to grow some really huge blossoms, look for Hibiscus moscheutos. Most of them have blooms that are easily 10 inches across. Talk about dinner-plate size! Though these giant satiny flowers look tropical, the plants are hardy as far north as zone 4. Unlike Rose of Sharon, they die back to the ground each year but make up for it with an amazing amount of growth over the summer, eventually reaching 3 to 4 feet tall. They can be slow to emerge in the spring, so be patient.  Important to remember.  It might be June before they come up here in zone 4 of Northern Iowa. 
Planting Hibiscus
If you’re planting in the fall, here’s how to plant a container-grown plant bought at a nursery:
Dig the hole in your garden twice size of root ball of plant.
Mix the soil you dug out of the hole with mulch or compost.
Take the plant carefully from container, keeping a hand on the bottom of the plant.
Lower the plant gently into the hole, centering carefully.
Backfill the hole with your soil/mulch mixture.
In the fall, we don’t usually add fertilizer as we don’t want to encourage the plant to grow.
Build a little well around the plant for the water.
Tap the soil around the plant gently.
Water in your plant with a nice drink.
The plant will rest quietly all winter, awake in spring, and flower by mid-summer!
If you would like to add an exotic touch to your late summer garden look no further than the hardy hibiscus.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/rose-sharon-and-hardy-hibiscus-fall
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365  

For your information, we will not be carrying any mums this fall.  Our blacktop will be resurfaced and looks like it will be in September, so it will be hard to sell plants and keep that open for the job to be done.  Thanks for understanding.  Becky

image from Becky's Greenhouse 

​    I am going to address this comment on this blog, and not on the site it was posted.  Posted on another garden center so didn’t think that was too cool.  Here is the discussion I was asked to comment on.
From the post on Facebook What’s the secret with getting the mums to come back every year I’ve never had luck with that?
From the post on Facebook Good luck friends! I have had many people tell me regardless of what type they have planted, they have not come back. I suggested a lot of mulch (straw, leaves, etc.) to a former student but never heard how they did after that. Maybe Becky Kerndt Litterer has some suggestions!
So this is what I know.  It all depends on the mum plant.  Yes, there are some annual mums and some perennials mums.  I was told a long time ago from a perennial grower that the fall mums you get all ready grown out have been breed for color and size that the hardness has been changed.  Also a lot of the energy of that plant is used up to get the finish mum plants you see.  It will be hard to get them to root well when you plant in the fall.  I am wondering if enough energy left in the plant to plant them in the spring, if you keep the potted mums alive during the winter.
Mums are a herbaceous plant, which means it grows from the roots or the crown.  So that is what will have to live thru the winter for the plant to come back.  They need a strong root system and the crown safe from freezing in the winter. 
As I have said, it depends on the mum plant that you are planting. 
This is what I know, for what it is worth.  Enjoy your mums in the season that it blooms if it is now in a pot or from spring planting and in the ground. 
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365 

taken at Becky's Greenhouse 

      ​       It is lovely out.  Fluffy clouds, blue sky and maybe a little more clouds to the north.  BUT what we have is less humidity.  IT is great out with getting good amount of rain over the weekend.  Saturday afternoon it was hot, humid and the soil was very dry.  What do we get on our phones as a watch for flash flooding later that evening?  We thought WHAT!  But it did rain hard, and lots so there was flash flooding in the area.  BUT much needed rain for the farmers, gardens, lawns and all of us.  All I can say is enjoy.  Windows are open and that is a grand thing.  I have been asked what my favorite flowers are and one of them are these….zinnias
How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Zinnia Flowers  by Catherine Boeckman
Zinnias are one of the easiest flowers to grow, as they grow quickly and bloom heavily. Plus, they’ll produce flowers all the way up to the first hard frost of fall. Zinnia flowers can create a massive burst of color in your garden, so consider trying them this year!
About Zinnias
Zinnias are annuals, so they’ll grow for one season to produce flowers and seeds, but the original plant will not come back in subsequent years. They have bright, solitary, daisy-like flowerheads on a single, erect stem, which makes them great for use as a cutting flower or as food for butterflies.
Types of Zinnias
The most popular zinnia species is Zinnia elegans, which has been bred to produce a great number of unique varieties.
There are three main kinds of zinnia flowers: single, semidouble, or double. The distinction between these forms comes from the number of rows of petals and whether or not the center of the flower is visible:
Single-flowered zinnias have a single row of petals and a visible center.
Double-flowered zinnias have numerous rows of petals and their centers are not visible.
Semidouble-flowered zinnias are somewhere in-between, with numerous rows of petals but visible centers.
In addition to these forms, zinnia flowers come in a number of shapes, including “beehive,” “button,” and “cactus.” The plants themselves also come in different heights: taller varieties are best for the background of a garden bed, while shorter varieties work well along a border. There’s really a zinnia for every garden!
Plant zinnias in an annual or mixed border garden. Smaller zinnias are suitable for edging, windowboxes, or other containers.
PLANTING
Choosing a location that gets full sun (6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day) is essential to getting plentiful blooms throughout the season. Additionally, a site that offers good air circulation will help to prevent foliar diseases such as powdery mildew later in the season.
Zinnias are able to adapt to most soil conditions, but the ideal soil will be rich in organic matter and well-draining. Soil pH should ideally be between 5.5 and 7.5. If soil is amended with compost (humus), the flowers will grow more quickly. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.
When to Plant Zinnias
It’s recommended that you grow zinnia from seed right in the garden bed, as they do not like to be transplanted. From seed, they will grow very quickly in the right conditions.
Note: Zinnias can be started from seed indoors if you prefer—just transplant them while they’re young and do so carefully.
Zinnias are sensitive to frost, so do not seed until the last frost has passed in your area. See your local frost dates.
Zinnias will grow in a minimum daytime temperature of about 60°F (16°C), though a range of 74–84°F (23–28°C) is preferred.
Sow a round of seeds every week or so for several weeks to extend the flowering period.
How to Plant Zinnias
Space plants 4 to 24 inches apart, depending on variety. (Many common varieties are planted 6 inches apart within the row and 2 feet in between rows.) See back of seed packet for variety-specific advice.
Sow zinnia seeds only about 1/4-inch deep.
You’ll see zinnia seedlings in only 4 to 7 days for most varieties, though it will be anywhere from several weeks to a couple months before blooms appear (depending on planting site and climate).
When seedlings reach three inches tall, thin them so that they’re 6 to 18 inches apart to maximize air circulation. This reduces the chance of powdery mildew developing.
GROWING
Maintain moderate soil moisture and fertilize lightly to maximize growth and blooms.
After zinnias flower, cut off the old flowers (a process called “deadheading”) to encourage more flowers to form.
Zinnias are annuals and will die with the first hard frost of fall. If you want them to reseed, let the last flowers of the season mature fully and scatter their seeds.
Still not sold on zinnias? Here are six reasons to try them in your garden:
RECOMMENDED VARIETIES
Get a full-size flower on a compact plant with cultivars of the Dreamland Series. Dwarf and compact, these zinnias have fully double flowerheads, up to 4 inches across in a wide color range; stems are 8–12 inches tall.
The Thumbelina Series cultivars are dwarf and spreading, with single or semi-double, weather-resistant flowerheads in many colors. Their petals are 1-1/4 inch across and stems grow up to 6 inches long.
The State Fair Series are one of the biggest and tallest of them all, with large, double flowerheads that are 3 inches across. Stems grow to 30 inches tall.
HARVESTING
Zinnias generally take 60 to 70 days from seed to flower (though it depends on conditions and variety). They work great in a flower bouquet!
WIT AND WISDOM
The small, narrow-leaf zinnias work well in hanging baskets and make for nice dried flowers, too.
It’s said that zinnias symbolize thoughts of absent friends. Learn about more flower meanings here.
PESTS/DISEASES
Bacterial and fungal spots, powdery mildew, and bacterial wilt may affect zinnias. Minimize wetting of foliage and space plants properly to avoid disease.
Caterpillars, mealybugs, and spider mites also cause problems. Some leaf damage is not an issue, so avoid spraying unless there’s a true infestation.
Luckily, zinnias are deer-resistant, so they might help keep nearby flowers from being eaten.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/zinnias
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net 641-794-3337  cell phone  641-903-9365

image from edenbrothers.com

     ​    Here we are into August all ready.  Where did the spring and summer go?  I am now just working on my gardens.  I have cherry tomatoes in pots, and they are looking awesome.  BUT it takes lots of water each day.  The patio area that the grandkids did for me, is getting fuller as I am adding more plants.  Now I can start to enjoy the color of it.  When I have the long wagons full of color that is my garden, but the plants on the wagons are disappearing as it is time.  I had a good July with sales here and at the Franklin Co fair, and finally we attended the Herb Fest in Greene.  We do have a nice selection of trees and shrubs for this fall planting.  Succulents, house plants and cacti and really looking good.  I am adding to them all the time.  It has been hot that is for sure.  AND the humidity is hard to work long hours outside.  I have been going out to work at 6:30 or 7:00 before it gets too warm.  All the streets in Dougherty are going to be resurfaced.  And that will be soon.  So, call before you come to see if you can get to the greenhouse.  We are redoing our blacktop area so that will be nice for rolling the carts around.  Good advice for taking care of your gardens in the summer.  Best advice is this
Finally, take care of yourself as well. Work outside during the cooler hours of the day to survive the heat and humidity and make sure you drink plenty of water, too.  I know I have learned the hard way not to drink too much or work too long in the heat….Do as I say, not what I do.  Stay cool and stay safe. 
Gardening Tips for Midsummer  by Robin Sweetser
There are a few key tricks to keeping that midsummer gardening going full tilt! By now, you should have harvested some goodies. But to keep your vegetable plants healthy, finish up that harvest strong, and start new plantings for fall, here is a basic "to do" list.
Growing a garden isn't just about getting plants started—it also involves tending to your plants and giving them the TLC that they need to be successful and get across that finish line! Here are my tips on summer plant care . . .
Don't Let Weeds Take Over
Weeding and thinning should be at the top of your to-do list. Plants can't grow well if they are being crowded out, and weeds are especially tough competitors.
Take a half hour early each morning while it is still cool outside to pull any weeds that have invaded your garden.
You can attack it methodically row by row, or go for the big guys first and work your way down to the smaller offenders.
If you keep at it, eventually there will be few or no weeds left, at which point you can easily keep up with newly emerging ones.
Thin Out Plantings
If you started some early or mid-summer plantings of beets or carrots, it's time to give them room to form their fat roots.
I usually try for a spacing of two finger-widths between plants.
Eat any tiny carrots that have formed. They are exceptionally sweet and good in a salad, and the beet greens are delicious and full of nutrients.
Fertilize for a Boost!
Plants, like people, need to not only drink water but also eat for nourishment! By now, their soil may be getting depleted of nutrients.
Give plants a mid-season feeding by side-dressing with compost or aged manure, or give them a drink of liquid fish emulsion fertilizer or manure tea when you water.
Watering is Critical
Watering is critical in mid- and late summer, when the heat is on high. Put out a rain gauge to determine just how much water you are getting from those thunderstorms: one to two inches a week is optimum. If you are not getting that much in rainfall, it is time to do some deep watering yourself.
Dig down about 6 inches and see how dry the soil is at that level. This is where most of your plants roots are and this is where the water needs to be.
Sprinkling the leaves is not going to be very beneficial. Soaker hoses are best; otherwise you will have to spend some time watering around each plant.
Water gently to allow the water to soak in and not run off. (See our article about Watering.)
A simple rain gauge will take some of the guesswork out of watering.
To reduce the amount you need to water, consider mulching around your plants, which will help to keep down the weeds and keep soil moisture from evaporating too quickly. Straw, grass clippings, pine needles, shredded leaves, and even newspaper will help to suppress weeds. (See our article about Mulch.)
Time to replace bolted heads of bitter lettuce with fresh new plantings.
Plant New Vegetables
Planting a new round of crops will keep your garden productive into fall. Remove any spring crops that have gone to that big farm in the sky and plant some new vegetables in that space.
Pay close attention to the first fall frost date for your area if you want to replant with tender, warm-weather crops like beans or cucumbers.
Otherwise, stick to frost-hardy fall crops such as broccoli, kale, bok choy, carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, spinach, and peas.
Lettuce doesn't like to germinate in hot soil, so start the seeds inside where it is cooler and then transplant them outside under the shade of taller plants to keep the lettuce from bolting.
Scout for Pests
Scouting for insect pests (the unwanted visitors) frequently will help you keep ahead of any population explosions of garden destroyers.
Be sure to check the undersides of the leaves, where most pests like to hide and lay their eggs.
Many bugs like to sleep in, so you can often catch them in the morning when they are still groggy.
Knock them into a bucket of soapy water to their sudsy demise.
Squash bugs not only lay eggs on squash plants, but also on cucumbers, melons, and even these sunflowers.
Staking will help keep fruits up off the ground, making them less susceptible to soil-borne diseases and easier to pick.
Harvest Often!
Harvesting often will keep your plants flowering and producing more fruit.
Beans especially benefit from frequent picking.
Harvest tomatoes as they ripen for the best flavor.
Pick zucchini and cucumbers while they are still small to avoid dealing with huge seedy fruits.
If you find that you are inundated with more produce than you can handle, please pass some of the bounty along to friends and neighbors or your local food pantry.
What About Flowers and Ornamentals?
While you're at it, don't forget that ornamentals need some attention, too.
Add deadheading, weeding, staking tall floppy plants, deep watering, fertilizing, and renewing mulch in the flower beds to your to-do list. See 4 good reasons to deadhead flowers.
Mowing and edging around garden beds will keep the yard looking spiffy.
Any plants growing in containers need special care since they dry out quickly in hot weather. Frequent watering washes nutrients out of the soil so use a liquid fertilizer when you water or scratch in a slow-release fertilizer to keep your container plants growing and hanging baskets blooming.
Keep container plantings well watered and fertilized and they will last all summer long.
Practice Gardening Self-Care
Finally, take care of yourself as well. Work outside during the cooler hours of the day to survive the heat and humidity and make sure you drink plenty of water, too.
There is a lot to keep up with, but it is well worth it when you get to proudly enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/keeping-summer-garden-looking-great
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net  641-794-3337  cell phone 641-903-9365